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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · stand · temple · dip · ruler · land · squash · tube

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. land — to come down
  3. tube — a container
  4. ball — a dance
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. squash — to crush
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. squash — the sport
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. land — a country
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. land — ground
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. dip — to sink
  23. tube — the underground
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com